


Fata Morgana

by luhans (aureate)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate universe - Demigod, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-12
Updated: 2015-08-12
Packaged: 2018-04-14 09:35:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4559637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aureate/pseuds/luhans
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The son of Zeus and the son of Hades unexpectedly meets again after separating for slightly more than three years, at one of the workshops Hermes owns. (Demigod!AU)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fata Morgana

**Author's Note:**

> Set in the same universe as this [one](http://luhans.livejournal.com/4782.html), but could be read as a stand alone.

 

It’s nearly thirty-four celsius degree in Seoul today. Joonmyun walks along the deserted pedestrian briskly, careful not to give up his presence too much. The fact that there are almost no one around the street makes him feel even more aware of his surroundings. The shades he wears to protect his eyes is starting to feel heavy against the bridge of his nose. He still have quite a long walk to go before he arrives at his destination. 

 

He can feel someone- _something_ , he corrects himself-following him close behind. Bu he knows better than to stop his steps and look back to confirm his suspicion. He doesn't feel like fighting under such glaring sun. Not today.

 

The bright yellow painted building soon comes into his sight, and Joonmyun couldn't help but feel relieved. _Almost_ , he thinks, fastening his pace. Ten more steps. But the voice coming from behind is also getting louder. His chance is getting thin.

 

He strides quickly towards the door, pressing the button to open the door. Once it is opened, Joonmyun slips inside, avoiding the last gap between his shoulder and the claw reaching out to tear his ligaments. 

 

His heart pounds really fast, but he knows the monster couldn't reach him inside. He stares at the angry monster from behind the glass door, waiting for it to retreat back to the road.

 

"Joonmyun?"

 

The voice startles him. He almost pulls out the heavy pen he always keep in his pocket for emergency, but he recognizes the voice.

 

"Yifan?" Joonmyun blinks, taking in the figure standing across to him. 

 

The other man is still tall, but taller than what he remembered. The wild black hair has been dyed blonde and cut short, styled up. He is wearing a black t-shirt, just like Joonmyun remembered he liked to, and ripped jeans, rolled up slightly.

 

"What are you doing here?" He couldn't help but getting curious over why the son of Hades could be found in one of Hermes's workshops.

 

Yifan shrugs. "Work. What about you?"

 

"My father sent me to have a chat with Hermes," he answers.

 

"He's not here." Another voice adds. Joonmyun knows it very well from the years he spent in the Camp Halfblood. A boy who has grown up to a good looking man appears next to Yifan. “Hi, Joonmyun hyung." The smile he gives is almost identical to what his father has; the same mischievous smile.

 

"Jongin," Joonmyun smiles. He actually likes the boy. He is one of those bearable people from Hermes cabin. The rest? Not so much for the son of Zeus. "Can I talk to you instead?"

 

"Sure. Father told me to welcome you, anyway." Jongin motions him to follow him inside the workshop.

 

Yifan sighs. He disappears behind the door that Joonmyun believes leads to another part of the workshop. Despite the small appearance from outside, Hermes is famous for having his workshops magically expanded in the inside. It is for better business.

 

But what kind of business does the son of Hades have here?

 

Jongin brings him to a secluded room with posters plastered on the walls. Most of them are advertisement of Hermes's products. Why the messenger god has stirred to business, Joonmyun doesn't even know why. Probably because he masters the marketing strategy more than anyone does.

 

The son of Hermes conjures out two cans of cola from the mini-fridge inside the room and hands over one to Joonmyun.

 

"It's hot outside, right?" The son of Hermes asks, opening his own can.

 

Joonmyun sighs. "I can't believe there are monsters within ten meters of your father's workshop." He shivers, remembering the close call.

 

"Usually there are none, but since father left for the business at U.S. they have been hanging around knowing there is a son of Hades inside." 

 

"What is Yifan doing here?" he asks. 

 

The memories of mutual breakup between them after they graduate from the camp are still fresh in his mind. He would be lying if he says he didn't miss him, and meeting him again after so many years only makes him yearn for more. He wonders if Yifan feels the same.

 

"Made father angry, got punished to help here instead. It's been a month, I think?"

 

Joonmyun nods. He wants to ask more, but finding out how much the son of Hermes has hung out with the son of Hades would probably hurt him. He prefers to change topic.

 

"So, the thing with my father is..."

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

Joonmyun stares at the door he saw Yifan disappeared to on his way to the front door. He couldn’t help but hold this big curiosity of what the son of Hades could do in one of Hermes’ workshops. He had said work, but what kind of work? Joonmyun frowns, concentrating on the door like it could open if he stares at it hard enough. Jongin must have sensed this.

 

"Do you want to see inside?" He asks, startling him.

 

He does. “Is that okay?" 

 

Jongin nods. He doesn't ask further, just walks towards the door and opens it up so Joonmyun could see what's happening inside.

 

There are piles of shoe boxes, blue ones, stacked up neatly around the room. Yifan is sitting cross-legged in the middle of the room, inspecting some pairs of shoes displayed in front of him.

 

"Adidas?" Joonmyun frowns. As far as he knows, the messenger godmhas always been cooperating with the victory goddess Nike, who has her own line of shoes. He thought that would automatically make them work together.

 

Jongin shrugs. "Nike has been refusing to work with my father for a while, so father decided to use competiting brand to reproduce the winged shoes. Yifan helps with the transferring process. He gets along with the wings well, apparently they could be treated like dead souls."

 

Yifan looks up from where he is working at Joonmyun. He smiles, "Do you want to try them?" He points at a pair of limited edition supercolor pack with wings attached on them. 

 

"No." Joonmyun answers in horror. He has had bad experience with winged shoes, and would not like to repeat them, thank you very much. The last time Hermes has personally asked him to test out some products only ended up in him thrown to the sea and got laughed at by the children of Poseidon. The son of Zeus in Poseidon’s territory? No, it doesn’t sit really well with them. He got scolded by his dad later, a lot.

 

“Your loss,” Yifan shrugs. He picks up another pair with attached wings and blows at them, making them fly with ease. “They are the latest edition, and all demigods have been dying to buy one.” Joonmyun looks at Jongin, wide-eyed. 

 

"It's true. Park Chanyeol has just purchased three pairs yesterday. That son of Hephaestus really has a thing for Adidas." Jongin adds with a grin. “And this edition has improved way better than the ones you wore at Mount Sorak.”

 

"Come on, Joonmyun. Help a friend here." Yifan says.

 

Joonmyun stares at the shoes. Well, they are pretty. He especially has his eyes on the white ones with black stripes on the sides. "On one condition, then."

 

Yifan raises an eyebrow. "What?"

 

“Go out for lunch with me, Yifan.” His voice doesn’t waver when he says it out loud, so it is all good. But he could feel Jongin’s eyes bore into his skull, drilling questions into it, and he does his best not to flinch. 

 

The son of Hades glances at Jongin, who is eyeing the two of them suspiciously. “Well, that’s actually up to my boss.”

 

“I’m not your boss, _hyung_ ,” Jongin emphasizes on the last word. He scrunches up his nose, thinking. “Make sure to come back at two, and without bruises. You know how the monsters are without father’s presence here.”

 

Yifan laughs. He grabs a clean towel to clean his hands. “You’re underestimating me, _Jonginnie_.” Joonmyun flinches at the nickname, but Jongin only rolls his eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

“Do you still do shadow travel?” Joonmyun asks him as they are about to reach the door. He doesn’t want to think of the possibility what could happen to the sight of two sons of The Big Three walking on the street together, not armed for war.

 

“I do. Where do you want to go, though?” Yifan asks, contemplating if he should call his hellhound now for the shadow travel. He has to admit that it is the safest way traveling around, remembering how their scents must have invited the monsters even more.

 

Joonmyun shrugs. He doesn’t really mind going anywhere. “Somewhere nice. Do you have recommendations?”

 

“Do you still like Pokemon?” He asks instead, pulling out sunglasses out of his pocket. It’s the aviator kind, ones that Joonmyun knows Yifan loves so much. He has a lot of those, and this one must be new, judging by its mirror lens. The son of Zeus frowns at him. What’s the use of sunglasses when they are going to shadow travel anyway?

 

“Of course.” He still plays once in a while on the Nintendo he got as his birthday present three years ago.

 

“Okay.” Yifan brings his fingers two his mouth and whistles, calling out to his pet-hellhound. The big, black dog appears in no time. Joonmyun recognizes him.

 

"Hi, Ace," he says, just out of the familiarity. He isn't sure if the hellhound remembers him; it's been five years, afterall. Not that Joonmyun is counting the time.

 

The hellhound nudges him slightly with its nose, and relief washes over him. 

 

Yifan grins at his pet amusedly. He reaches out to stroke the back of his neck, giving it a nice message. "You know where to take us, Ace." He says, moving to sit on Ace's back. Joonmyun follows him. He holds tight onto Yifan's waist, knowing he would be thrown off the journey if he does otherwise, but it feels awkward, unlike how they used to do it years ago. They have grown up. 

 

Ace jumps, and soon Joonmyun is pulled into the shadows.

 

 

 

 

 

"McDonalds, really?" Joonmyun wants to laugh, but he doesn’t. The heat of the sun is piercing through his skull and laughing means too much of energy giveaway. Helios is overdoing it today, he thinks.

 

Yifan sends off Ace back to the shadows before he takes off his sunglasses. It looked ridiculous on him, but Joonmyun guesses the son of Hades's tolerance for the sun is getting thinner the more he lives in the Underworld.

 

"The toy they have for the kids menu is Pokemon edition," he shrugs, pocketing his sunglasses before he leads the way into the fast food restaurant. The bell jingles as they walk past the door, and Joonmyun closes his eyes as the freshness of air conditioner hits his face. Yifan walks straight to the counter and orders some food for them; chicken and burger. 

 

"I will pay," Joonmyun takes out his wallet. His eyes are trained to the toys displayed before them as he is asked to pick which one he wants to take home. He bites on his lower lip before picking up Jigglypuff--only because Bulbasaur is sold out-- and he could hear Yifan giggling next to him.

 

"You haven't changed," Yifan says, and Joonmyun gives his card to the cashier to distract himself from blushing. 

 

Yifan insists to be the one who brings the tray since Joonmyun has paid, and Joonmyun couldn’t even argue. He brings it to an empty table near the exit door, and the son of Zeus follows him after retrieving their drinks.

 

“So, how are you?" Joonmyun asks first, unpeeling the paper wrap around his burger. He peels off the buns and take out the pickles, placing them on the tissue he retrieved earlier. 

 

“Good.” He answers after he takes a bite of the drumstick he ordered.

 

“I thought you didn’t like chicken,” the other man asks, genuinely surprised. 

 

Yifan raises an eyebrow, still chewing his chicken before he opens his mouth, “A lot of things have happened in three years and four months.” He always counts the time. “You don’t eat pickles now.” He points out.

 

“I got bad memories with them,” he says.

 

“Let me guess, they turn into monsters?”

 

“Nah, a giant puked pickles on me.”

 

Yifan laughs, slapping his hand lightly on the table. “You must have really hated it.”

 

Joonmyun grins. “You have no idea,” he says, and silently Yifan agrees. 

 

It has been more than three years, and he actually doesn’t know if the man sitting in front of him is still the same with the one he used to date. He doesn’t know if he still likes the color purple, or if he still has piles of sweaters in his wardrobe because it was his favorite clothes. He doesn’t know if Joonmyun still collects figurines or if he still reads motivational books.  

 

“We have a lot to catch up,” he says softly, unsure on the ‘ _we_ ’ part because he doesn’t know what Joonmyun thinks of him now. They broke up cleanly, only because they had to part ways and relationships could be difficult for growing demigods especially when they are sons of the Big Three, and Yifan is pretty sure he misses the other and wants to go back to the times when they were together. 

 

“We do,” Joonmyun agrees. “That’s why I asked you to eat lunch with me.”

 

“Is this a date?” Yifan partly jokes and partly serious.

 

“If you want it to be.”

 

The son of Hades sighs, “I should have taken you to a nicer place.”

 

Joonmyun smiles, “It’s okay. I got a Jigglypuff.”

 

Yifan points out how Joonmyun haven’t changed again, and the conversation falls easily between them just like the old times. They were a contrast, two different kind of souls; sky and underground. It is always difficult to believe how they got together, but the differences made it easier for them to get even closer to each other. Opposites attract, say an old saying.

 

 

 

 

 

 

They walk out of the fast food restaurant together after finishing their meals. Yifan puts on his sunglasses as soon as the sunlight hits his face, and Joonmyun laughs at him.

 

“Is that even necessary?” He asks.

 

Yifan gives him a brief shrug. “I spent too much time Underworld that sometimes I couldn’t stand the sun.”

 

The son of Zeus hums in acknowledgement. “Helios is kind of cruel lately,” he looks up, shielding his eyes from too much sunlight. He hopes his father could have a talk with the god of Sun and end his misery. 

 

“I need to go back to work.” Yifan says, scratching the bridge of his nose. 

 

Joonmyun nods. “I should report the meeting to my father as well.”

 

“I would-“ Yifan inhales deeply. “-like to take you to a real date next time, if that’s okay with you.”

 

He blinks, surprised by the sudden confession. He tries hard to hold colors from rosing on his cheeks, but it is even more difficult since his cheeks are already red from the heat. He hopes Yifan would mistake it for that. “You do?”

 

“We could take it slow,” he says carefully. But the hint that he wants Joonmyun back in his life is clear, the younger should have caught on that. “Step by step, like what we did back then.”

 

“Okay,” Joonmyun breathes. He stares straight into Yifan’s eyes behind the sunglasses, not blinking. It unnerves Yifan. “I missed you, you know,” he says with a soft voice. “I was surprised to see you there, I thought I have lost you forever.”

 

Yifan gives in to the temptation of touching the other. He reaches out and places his hand on Joonmyun’s arm, amazed of how the other still fits perfectly under his touch like he used to be. Perhaps they are meant for each other after all. “I missed you too,” he decides to be honest, because lying would only make his yearning for the other worse. “I want to know everything about you I missed and I want to tell you about me.”

 

“Call me later. I haven’t changed my number,” he says.

 

“I will.” Yifan promises. He has trashed his old phone because it didn’t work in the Underworld, but he could buy a new one and ask Jongin for Joonmyun’s number. 

 

Joonmyun smiles. He pulls the taller man into a brief awkward hug before he steps back. “See you, then.”

 

“See you,” Yifan returns the smile.

 

The son of Zeus calls the wind over and creates himself a ride from the element. He has mastered it since his second quest, Yifan knows. And he is proud to see how the younger could handle it with much more ease this time. Joonmyun climbs up and sits on the wind, waving one last time before he commands the wind to bring him to his father.

 

Yifan watches until Joonmyun disappears from his sight, then he calls the hellhound pet to shadow travel to his own destination.

 

“First thing first,” he says to his pet once he is settled on its back. "To the nearest handphone shop, Ace.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I tried so hard writing a non-angst krisho, while craving for a demigod au, but it turned out this way. I will try harder next time, I promise! Hope you enjoyed this one :)


End file.
